HarperCollins Launches Fourth Estate in the U.S.

Posted on October 4, 2001

HarperCollins Publishers has announced that it will launch the Fourth Estate imprint in the U.S. with the publication of Unless, the latest work from Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Carol Shields. The book will be published simultaneously by Fourth Estate in the U.K., which has published all of Shields' novels in Britain. Fourth Estate was acquired by HarperCollins in July 2000 and is now a division of HarperCollins U.K.

``I am very pleased to introduce the Fourth Estate imprint in the U.S. with a new novel by Carol Shields, a prestigious author who is highly respected on both sides of the Atlantic,'' said Jane Friedman, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers. ``Victoria Barnsley and I have wanted to extend Fourth Estate's presence to the U.S. for some time, and we are delighted to have Shields lead this list.''

Unless will be published in the U.K., Australia/New Zealand and the U.S. in May 2002. In addition, Fourth Estate has acquired Australian writer Kate Jennings' second novel, Moral Hazard, for publication in the U.S., U.K. and Canada in summer 2002. Fourth Estate built its reputation on publishing North American authors in the U.K. - from Annie Proulx and Michael Cunningham to Dava Sobel and Sebastian Junger - and will now publish books in the same independent-minded manner in the American market.

Christopher Potter, Publisher and Managing Director of Fourth Estate (at HarperCollins U.K.) and Daniel Halpern, Vice President, Editorial Director of Ecco and Executive Editor of the HarperCollins General Books Group (at HarperCollins U.S.) will be co-publishers of Fourth Estate U.S.

Clive Priddle will serve as Publishing Director for Fourth Estate in the U.S. Courtney Hodell, who recently joined HarperCollins U.K. from Random House U.S. will become Publishing Director, Fourth Estate in the U.K. In addition, Nicky Eaton, Fourth Estate Publicity Director, will take on extra responsibility as Deputy Managing Director.

``This innovative publishing venture will allow us to effectively publish a small number of high-quality titles with particular energy and direction,'' said Victoria Barnsley, founder of Fourth Estate and now CEO and Publisher of HarperCollins U.K. ``It will allow us to combine the strengths of the dedicated team in Fourth Estate's U.K. office with the editorial team in New York, supported by the might and muscle of the U.S. sales operation.''